The Student News Site of Neshaminy High School

The Playwickian

The Student News Site of Neshaminy High School

The Playwickian

The Student News Site of Neshaminy High School

The Playwickian

School board approves new middle school plan

By Gillian McGoldrick
Editor-in-Chief

School board members sounded off “Aye” on Oct. 23 to give new shape to middle schools in Neshaminy.
With a vote of 6-3 in favor of change, fifth graders will now be learning in middle schools, beginning in the 2015-2016 school year.

The idea for this new school structure came about to help solve the declining enrollment in Neshaminy school district. Students in the fifth grade will be physically blockaded from students in grades 6-8, according to Neshaminy school district’s website. Fifth-grade Students will also be monitored in the hallways and escorted to classes for first couple weeks of school until it is no longer necessary and the students are familiar with the schools.

Teachers and faculty were asked to join a 5-8 Work Group to prepare the best possible model to display to the school board. This group of 30 parents, administrators, and teachers met once or twice a month for about six months in preparation. “From the beginning it was made clear that our decision was not ‘yes’ or ‘no,’” Neshaminy teacher and work group member, Joseph Pimble, said. “The question was ‘How do we move forward in the best way possible for the students should the board vote ‘yes’?’”

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This 5-8 Work Group, through their many meetings, visited different schools with the 5-8 model. These schools included local and highly-esteemed districts such as Upper Dublin and Upper
Merion school districts.

The classrooms will still also be similar to that of the classic fifth grade room. There will be block schedules alike to the 6-8 schedules.

Many parents within the district have been weary about the moving of students up to the middle school. Worries included earlier start time for the children, and also of bullying by the age gap of the classes.

Despite parents’ worries, bullying prevention programs such as “No Place For Hate” and “Rachel’s Challenge” are already established within the middle schools to ensure an outlet of support for any bullied student.

As fifth graders move up to the middle schools, a new installation of full-day kindergarten will be featured to form a K-4 elementary school model. These changes are to begin in the 2015-2016 year and were passed with a vote of 6-3 in favor of the new configuration.

Logistics for how exactly the new middle school model will work are still in the working stages. But the moving of fifth graders has been finalized. This will be the case until Mar. 2015, when the affected staff will be notified and staffing/scheduling is completed at the middle-school level.
According to the District website, school officials are currently choosing between options when deciding if the fifth graders will have recess at the middle school.

Other consolidation talks to solve issue of declining enrollment are still continuing and will be voted on in Dec. This will include conversation about the closing of elementary schools within neighborhoods of the district.

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School board approves new middle school plan